Russian army drafted in as Moscow is hit with record snowfall

The Russian army has been drafted in to help trapped Muscovites as the country’s capital has been hit by “the snowfall of the century”.

More than a month’s worth of snow fell on Moscow in just 36 hours, the biggest snowfall in the city since records began, bringing it to a standstill.

The Sputnik news agency said the snow, which began falling on Saturday, has downed power lines in the wider Moscow region and has cut off electricity to more than 5,000 people as well as felling over 2,000 trees across the city.

The city’s mayor Sergei Sobyanin said one person had died as result of the bad weatherand five others were injured in the heavy snow but did not give any further details.

The Russian military said in a statement it had sent 100 soldiers, two snowploughs and a truck to help clear the snow in one Moscow district and at a location in the Moscow region.

Children in Moscow were given the day off school on Monday when the temperature stood at minus 12 degrees Celsius. The authorities encouraged people to leave their cars at home and use public transport instead.

“I have just left home but have already fallen over because the snow has not been cleared from the pavements,” said Lilya Belkina, a Moscow resident.

“It is very difficult to cross the road.”

During the winter Moscow is one of the coldest capital cities in the world with average temperatures reaching lows of -9.1C.